The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Lan Upbriro.’
‘Lan Upbriro’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘Lan Upbriro’ has bold purple-red colored large flowers with mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit, vigorous, free-branching, medium green foliage and tolerance to powdery mildew.
‘Lan Upbriro’ originated from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The female parent was ‘Lan Upmag,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,983, with a magenta color. ‘Lan Upmag’ has lighter colored foliage, longer petioles and peduncles than ‘Lan Upbriro.’
The male parent of ‘Lan Upbriro’ was ‘Lan Upviot,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,985, with purple-violet color. ‘Lan Upviot’ has smaller leaves, longer petioles and shorter peduncles than ‘Lan Upbriro.’
‘Lan Upbriro’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in February 2006 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA. The pollination took place in August 2005 and the seed sown in November 2005, all in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Lan Upbriro’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the February 2006 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. USA.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in February 2006 in Gilroy, Calif. USA, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Lan Upbriro’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
‘Lan Upbriro’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada on Dec. 24, 2007. ‘Lan Upbriro’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.